By Bert Zethof

The "moment of truth" in marketing lingo is that time when you ask for the sale. The results of all of your marketing to date will be clear to see. It's do or die.

But what if we look at our customer relationships not as culminating in one moment of truth at the point of sale but as a series of moments of truth (nano-moments of truth?). Wouldn't this be a more accurate reflection of the reality of relationships and whether customers become loyal?

Every touchpoint with the customer is a moment of truth. For example: Is your advertising respectful? Is your sales rep polite? Is your ordering system easy to use? Do you deliver by the date promised? Do you honour your warranty? etc.

At each touchpoint, the customer makes a conscious or subconscious judgement about your business. These judgments are based not only on their own direct experience but on their knowledge about the experience of others (which is clear to see on the Internet).

The "single moment of truth" perspective suggests it's all about making the sale. Whereas the "series of moments of truth" perspective suggests a focus on healthy, long-term customer relationships and integrity.

Which perspective do you think is more likely to help you build a sustainable business?